Local MP Lachlan Millar is urging members of the Gregory community to join with rural industry groups and the LNP in the fight against Labor’s proposed anti-agriculture vegetation management reforms by signing an on-line petition.

“People only have until April 25 to have their say to the Parliamentary Committee. This is another very easy way to do it,” he said.

Mr Millar said the petition, in response to the Palaszczuk Labor Government’s Vegetation Management (Reinstatement) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill, was an opportunity for all Gregory landholders and the wider community to register their protest to Labor’s plans.

“This petition is an easy yet influential way for the people of Gregory to send a message to all MPs that they object to Labor’s amendments and to explain the negative impact they will have on landholders across the state.

Mr Millar said Labor’s proposed amendments were more extensive and aggressive than simply overturning the LNP’s 2013 changes.

“The former LNP Government’s common sense policies meant landholders were able to save time and money, while sustainably managing and growing their businesses.

“The Palaszczuk Labor Government plans to completely repeal the important High Value Agriculture and High Value Irrigated Agriculture pathways to development. This will threaten Gregory’s agriculture enterprises,” he said.

“Freehold and indigenous freehold landowners will be stripped of their rights to manage regrowth vegetation and restrictions on vegetation management near watercourses will extend even further than ever before.

“Landholders will also be considered guilty until proven innocent with the re-instatement of the reversal of the onus of proof and ‘mistake of fact’ will no longer be considered a defence for alleged offences involving vegetation management activities.”

Mr Millar said agriculture was a major employer in Gregory and so the Labor legislation means future economic growth would also hit a brick wall.

“It is tragic that this comes at a time when the Federal Government is doing everything it can to promote such growth and when free-trade agreements have delivered markets hungry for our products,” he said.

Mr Millar said AgForce Queensland General President Grant Maudsley had agreed to be the principal petitioner and other rural industry groups had worked with the LNP and AgForce to develop the petition.